Feast of St. Raphael

October 24

http://www.raphaelthearchangel.com/

He is my patron.  In homage and thanksgviing:

SAINT RAPHAEL ARCHANGEL
"I AM RAPHAEL, ONE OF THE SEVEN ANGELS WHO ENTER AND SERVE BEFORE THE GLORY OF THE LORD"   - Tobit 12:15

PROTECTION AGAINST THE DEVILS
by Antoine Richard, 1877

Prelude:   An immense plain stretches itself before us, and the entrances are guarded by ferocious enemies, but an angel marches at our side.

Meditation:   "Our whole life," says St. Bernard, "is but a temptation," and this great doctor had borrowed the thought and the doctrine from our holy books.
Temptation from outside, from creatures, from within, from our equals, from ourselves.
It is strange that we should be such dangerous enemies to ourselves, that we are obliged to be on our guard, and to be afraid of ourselves, since our loss, according to the prophet, comes from ourselves, who often work with all our might for our ruin; but we have other combats to wage against enemies powerful by their strength, cruel in their rage, terrible by their stratagems, innumerable in their multitude, and untiring in their pursuits. Add to this, that our enemies are purely spirits, who strike without being seen, who enter everywhere, who remain invisible, and watch everything that we do; who fight against weak souls, walking in the midst of dark night, advancing by slippery paths, where they can hardly stand, surrounded on all sides by fearful precipices, and threatened with evils which are endless, and terrible in their intensity.

O, if men meditated well these great truths, if they would see the supernatural light, how they would change their lives! then, indeed, they would serve God in holy fear, and their hearts would be rent with terror at the frightful evils to which we are exposed, and alas! we think so little. This meditation must renew our gratitude and affection to the holy angels, for it is especially here that their power and protection shines in all its splendor.

Resolution: Have recourse to the holy angels in temptations.
Aspiration: "Then the angel Raphael took the devil and bound him."    (Tobias, viii. 3.)

NOVENA IN HONOR OF ST. RAPHAEL, THE ARCHANGEL
The Sovereign Pontiff, Pope Pius IX., by a rescript of the S. Congr. of Indulgences, Nov. 28, 1876, granted to all the faithful who, with contrite hearts, at any time during the year, devoutly make the novena in honor of S. Raphael the archangel, with any formula of prayer, provided it be approved by competent ecclesiastical authority, An Indulgence Of Three Hundred Days, once a day.

Glorious Archangel, St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, illustrious by thy gifts of wisdom and grace, guide of travelers by land and sea, consoler of the unfortunate and refuge of sinners, I entreat thee to help me in all my needs and in all the trials of this life, as thou didst once assist the young Tobias in his journeying. And since thou art the "physician of God," I humbly pray thee to heal my soul of its many infirmities and my body of the ills that afflict it, if this favor is for my greater good. I ask, especially, for angelic purity, that I may be made fit to be the living temple of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
(Indulgence of 100 days.----Leo XIII., June 21, 1890)

Happy birthday Director.

And thanks for the novena, PerEvangelicaDicta.  

Please refrain from reading this website.  http://www.raphaelthearchangel.com/

Although the author presents and interesting story in these modern times, He makes JPII to be a good Pope, and later on gets into the merits of Medjegori  and that crap.  

Sorry for presenting it, and not reading it thoroughly myself.

D.

St. Raphel is my patron Saint , powerful before God , especially in time of need.

His feast Day is still October 24    Yes , today is my BD

Thank you for the warning, Director.  I had another site up with St. Raphael devotions, sermons, etc (Catholic Harbor of Faith and Morals) so I had not yet read the one you posted.  
The conciliar years have wrought destruction to everything, including the history of our great saints and archangels, co-opted in some way or another and incorporated into the modernist borg.

Elizabeth, I am just completing the novena today.  Even though he is my patron, I've not ever done so.  I've found over the years he is a most powerful intercessor and I do utilize other prayers to him.

 O heavenly physician and faithful companion . St. Raphael, who didst restore sight to the elder Tobias, and guide the younger in his long journey and preserve him in safety; be thou the physician of my soul and body, disperse the dark clouds of ignorance, defend me from the dangers of my earthly pilgrimage, and lead me to that heavenly country where, with thee, I may gaze for ever on the face of God. Amen.

Happy, holy day of birth, Director.